The 8 Best Bars In Downtown Munich

Munich is Germany‘s third largest city, so whether you’re looking for a dive bar or a posh cocktail joint, the city has something to suit every occasion. While being spoiled for choice can make choosing difficult, we’ve done the hard work for you – here are 8 bars to guaranteed to make your night.

1. Das Labor

Labor in this instance means laboratory, not hard work, and Das Labor takes the scientific approach to cocktails – waiters here wear lab coats and serve shots ranging from toxic to radioactive to flammable in test tubes. If that all sounds a bit too contrived, the Thursday evening beer pong tournament brings it all down to earth. Be aware that arriving after 9pm on Thursdays means you have to pay an cover. Every other time, entrance is free.

Sonnenstraße 5, Munich, Germany, +49 177 7999909

2. Zephyr

Bar, German

A bartender prepares cocktails in the Zephyr Bar at Baaderstrasse 68.

No less a publication than The New York Times named Zephyr as one of the best places to grab a drink in Munich. At Zephyr, ordering a cocktail is akin to buying your very own piece of edible art – how the drink looks is just a important as how it tastes. With an emphasis on local spirits, fresh ingredients and quirky names (Microwave Safe, anyone?), an evening here results in a singular cocktail experience.

3. Les Fleurs du Mal

Bar, Pub Grub

This bar is a spare room above an already-famous bar with a single table carved from a walnut tree – the perfect setting for imbibing one, or several, of the 150 whiskies, absinthes, cognacs and rare spirits waiting behind the bar at Les Fleurs du Mal. Cheers, Baudelaire.

5. Couch Club

With more than 130 types of gin in stock, Couch Club is Valhalla for fans of the juniper berry. Gin tastings happen on the regular and give guests a chances to try more than 100 gin and tonic combinations – malaria prevention never tasted so good. Those who aren’t into gin will still find plenty of alternatives on offer, and the vibe here is chill and relaxed with couches, foosball, music and snacks.

Klenzestr. 89, Munich, Germany, +49 89 1255 5778

A classic cocktail | © star5112/Flickr

6. Bar Muenchen

Bar, German

For those times where paying more than €50 for a Simmertal steak is just the right thing to do, Bar Muenchen is the place to do it. Wood panelled and located on one of Munich’s most fancy streets, there’s little not to love about this little slice of heaven. If dinner isn’t on the cards, stopping by for a pre-opera cocktail like the Stagger Lee (cherry liqueur, cherry marmalade, mint and Wild Turkey) is snazzy way to get the evening started.

7. Padres

Restaurant, Cocktail Bar, German, Street Food, Beer

Lovingly named after what the bar calls “the worst baseball team of all time”, Padres is not your father’s cocktail bar. The rowdy, party-hearty crowd here enjoys original and classic highballs fixed by cocktail historian Marco Beier, along with Bundesliga games on flat screen TVs, making Padres a sports bar for the sophisticated gent.

8. Cocktail House

Bar, German

For more than 30 years, Cocktail House has been a romantic hotspot in the Schwabing neighbourhood of Munich. Perfect for a date and also for group events, the bar has entire rooms that can be booked ahead Sunday to Thursday for whatever special event you’re looking to celebrate. The vibe is cosy and nostalgic, and the cocktails strong and free-flowing – difficult to get better than that.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.